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Russia

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Background: Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of 10s of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose legitimacy is buttressed, in part, by carefully managed national elections, former President PUTIN's genuine popularity, and the prudent management of Russia's windfall energy wealth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.Location: Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific OceanArea land: 16,377,742 sq kmArea water: 720,500 sq kmCoastline: 37,653 kmCountry name conventional long form: Russian FederationCountry name conventional short form: RussiaCountry name former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist RepublicPopulation: 138,739,892 (July 2011 est.)Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 10,818,203/female 10,256,611); 15-64 years: 71.8% (male 47,480,851/female 52,113,279); 65 years and over: 13% (male 5,456,639/female 12,614,309) (2011 est.);Population growth rate: -0.47% (2011 est.)Birth rate: 11.05 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)Death rate: 16.04 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)Net migration rate: 0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female; total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2011 est.);Infant mortality rate: total: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 8.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.29 years; male: 59.8 years; female: 73.17 years (2011 est.);Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2011 est.);HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1% (2009 est.);HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 980,000 (2009 est.);HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA;Nationality: noun: Russian(s); adjective: Russian;Ethnic groups: Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census);Religions: Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.);

note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule